Press Releases

Philippines Concludes Successful Year as Guest of Honour at the 77th Frankfurt Book Fair

October 19, 2025

Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 19 October 2025 –The Philippines successfully concluded its year as Guest of Honour at the 77th Frankfurt Book Fair (Frankfurter Buchmesse), held from 15 to 19 October 2025 at the Messe Frankfurt, with the Opening Ceremony on 14 October 2025.

Under the theme “The imagination peoples the air,” the Philippine participation marked an important milestone in the international promotion of Philippine literature and culture, highlighting the country’s creativity, depth, and growing engagement with the global literary community.

At the Opening Ceremony, Senator Loren Legarda, Head of Delegation and visionary of the Philippine Frankfurt Book Fair Philippines Guest of Honour project, delivered the keynote address alongside German officials Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, Juergen Boos, Mike Josef, Armin Schwarz, and Dr. Wolfram Weimer. Senator Legarda underscored the power of storytelling in shaping nations and inspiring change, recalling how Dr. José Rizal, “who sparked the liberation of [the Philippine] people from three centuries of colonisation, was not a warrior with a sword but a writer with a pen who made imagination his sharpest weapon.”

The Philippine Guest of Honour Pavilion—by Stanley Ruiz and curated by Patrick Flores—and the accompanying programme brought together over 100 Filipino authors, artists, and creatives. Highlights included performances by National Living Treasure Rosie Sula with her traditional T’boli chanting, the Philippine Madrigal Singers, talks by National Artists, 2021 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Maria Ressa, journalists Howie Severino and Patricia Evangelista.

Across five days, the Frankfurt Book Fair welcomed 238,000 visitors from 131 countries, reaffirming its position as the world’s foremost publishing and literary platform. The Philippines’ presence drew strong interest, with Maria Ressa’s talks on digital disinformation among the most attended and covered sessions of the Fair.

The country’s Guest of Honour year concluded on 19 October 2025 with the Handover Ceremony to Czechia, Guest of Honour for 2026. In her closing remarks, Karina Bolasco, Head of the Philippine Literary Program, expressed gratitude to the Fair’s organizers and partners, affirming that the Philippine delegation “carried the creativity, courage, and resilience of Filipino storytellers across oceans and borders.”

The Guest of Honour participation, led by the National Book Development Board (NBDB) and National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), with the support of the Office of Senator Loren Legarda and the Department of Foreign Affairs, stands as a proud testament to the power of Filipino imagination and the global resonance of Philippine literature and culture. END

Calamba–Wilhelmsfeld Ties Strengthened as Rizal Legacy Takes Spotlight with PH’s Guest of Honour Role at Frankfurt Book Fair

October 17, 2025

The Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt organized a visit of Calamba City Mayor Rosseller Rizal to Wilhelmsfeld and Heidelberg on 17 October 2025, on the sidelines of the Philippines’ Guest of Honour participation at the 77th Frankfurt Book Fair.

The initiative formed part of the Consulate’s continuing efforts to advance Philippine cultural diplomacy in southern Germany, especially by deepening the historic connection between Calamba City and Wilhelmsfeld, where Dr. José Rizal completed his novel Noli Me Tangere in 1886. The Book Fair’s Philippines as Guest of Honour theme, “The imagination peoples the air,” was drawn from Noli Me Tangere, making this an especially fitting moment to renew partnerships built upon Rizal’s enduring legacy of imagination, learning, and intercultural dialogue.

On 13 October 2025, Mayor Rizal called on Consul General Marie Yvette Banzon Abalos, where discussions centered on fostering collaboration among Calamba, Wilhelmsfeld, and Heidelberg in the fields of culture, and people-to-people exchange. The Consulate briefed Mayor Rizal on ongoing efforts to promote the Rizal connection through local partnerships and commemorative activities.

On 17 October 2025, Post arranged a visit to Wilhelmsfeld, where Mayor Rizal was received by Mayor Dr. Tobias Dangel and members of the Wilhelmsfeld Municipal Council. The visit reaffirmed the Sister-City Agreement between Calamba and Wilhelmsfeld, signed in 2011, and served as a symbolic celebration of the historical and cultural links between the Philippines and Germany through Dr. Rizal’s life and works. The delegation also visited Heidelberg, where Dr. Rizal undertook medical studies.

Accompanied by Calamba City government officials Ms. Maolen Karla M. Boholano, Head of the City’s Cultural Affairs, Tourism, and Sports Development Department, and Mr. James Aligui, Mayor Rizal’s visit provided a timely opportunity to highlight the Philippines’ Guest of Honour participation at the Frankfurt Book Fair and to reaffirm the country’s deep appreciation for the German places that shaped Dr. José Rizal’s intellectual growth and world view. END

Ruhr-Universität Bochum Launches Anthology on 19th-Century Spanish Travel Writing on the Philippines, a Product of its Philippine Studies Program with PCG Frankfurt

October 9, 2025

Berlin, 9 October 2025 — The Philippine Studies Program (PSP) of Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB), conducted in partnership with the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt, marked a major milestone with the launch of a new anthology on Spanish travel writing about the Philippines. Edited by Dr. Roger Friedlein, PSP Coordinator, with co-editors Beatriz Friedel Ablanedo and Katharina Pohl, the publication was made possible through the support of Senator Loren Legarda, who has long championed the establishment of Philippine Studies programs abroad.

In a video message during the book presentation, Senator Legarda underscored the importance of scholarship as the foundation of cultural diplomacy, saying:

“Cultural diplomacy must be built on substance, research, translation, and the honest reconstruction of shared histories. This book, published in Spanish, German, and English, gathers fifteen scholars from Germany, Switzerland, Great Britain, Spain, and the Philippines, presenting twenty studies on how Spanish travellers from the 19th to the 21st centuries saw and interpreted our islands. Its significance lies not only in what it recovers, but in what it repositions.”

The book, presented at the event “The Philippines in the 19th Century: New Contributions” held at the Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut in Berlin, compiles accounts by Spanish travellers that shed new light on the Philippines’ cultural and intellectual landscape during and beyond the colonial period. Other presenters included Dr. Stephanie Coo (Universidade Nova de Lisboa), Annette Hug (Bern), and Kristin Wolter (Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut), who discussed recent research and translation work on Philippine texts and historical encounters.

As the Philippines prepares to serve as Guest of Honour at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair, this publication offers an opportunity to highlight new directions in Philippine scholarship and the growing academic engagement with Philippine history, culture, and identity across Europe. END

Photos by: Ruhr-Universität Bochum and Stephanie Coo

Rizal Legacy Highlighted in Heidelberg Program and Exhibition

September 28, 2025

Heidelberg, 28 September 2025 — The association Kultur für Europa – Kulturhauptstadt Heidelberg hosted a program at the Völkerkundemuseum Heidelberg that placed a spotlight on Philippine national hero José Rizal, contributing to the broader dialogue within Heidelberg’s bid for the title of European Capital of Culture (Kulturhauptstadt Europas).

The program featured a reading by author Annette Hug from her award-winning novel Wilhelm Tell in Manila, along with contributions from artist Joscha Steffens and scholar Prof. Dietrich Harth. Their works and insights placed Rizal at the center of discussions on literature, art, and cross-cultural exchange between the Philippines and Germany.

As part of the event, guests also visited Pieces of Life: The Philippine Collection, curated by Patrick Flores and Corazon Alvina with artists Jasmin Werner and Rocky Cajigan, and which opened to the public on 27 September 2025. The exhibition presents the museum’s Philippine holdings of baskets, textiles, adornments, tools, and other cultural objects in dialogue with contemporary works, while reflecting on the history of collecting in Heidelberg.

Consul General Marie Yvette Banzon Abalos participated in a podcast-style interview with Joscha Steffens which centered on Rizal’s historical ties to Heidelberg and emphasized the importance of these cultural linkages in the context of the Philippines’ participation as Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025.

Pieces of Life: The Philippine Collection runs from 28 September 2025 to 28 March 2026 at the Völkerkundemuseum Heidelberg, Hauptstraße 235. END

New Beginnings: Landmark Exhibition of Philippine Photography Opens in Frankfurt, ahead of Philippines’ Guest of Honour role at Frankfurt Book Fair

September 27, 2025

Guests at the New Beginnings opening view works by MM Yu, and other Filipino photographers

Consul General Abalos, Photographer and Artist Nana Buxani, and exhibit curator Patrick Flores

Consul General Abalos shared messages during the opening

Patrick Flores also shared messages during the opening

Augustine Paredes, the youngest photographer participating in the exhibition

Andrea Horvay, co-curator of the exhibition

Frankfurt, 27 September 2025 – New Beginnings: Philippine Photographic Art opened at the Fotografie Forum Frankfurt (FFF), bringing together a diverse and urgent body of work from contemporary Filipino photographers. From documentary photography to conceptualist art, from the lives of indigenous communities to intimate portrayals of daily resilience, the exhibition presents a wide spectrum of stories of struggle, survival, and joy.

“This is, today, the most significant exhibition of Philippine photography in Germany and outside of the Philippines,” noted curator Patrick Flores. “These artists are not only photographers, but also painters, poets, cinematographers, and cultural workers.” Flores emphasized that the exhibition is both a celebration of artistic excellence and a reflection of the Philippines’ participation as Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025.

The show was realized through close collaboration between the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and Fotografie Forum Frankfurt, and is part of the Philippines Guest of Honour cultural program at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair.

Curated by Patrick Flores, Andrea Horvay, and Celina Lunsford, New Beginnings features works by Nana Buxani, Xyza Cruz Bacani, Tommy Hafalla, Gina Osterloh, Wawi Navarroza, Augustine Paredes, Veejay Villafranca, and MM Yu. Co-curators introduced the exhibition, underscoring the wide range of practices represented—from staged photo-tableaux and long-term documentary projects to large-scale installations and explorations of identity, spirituality, environment, and belonging.

Paredes, the youngest participating photographer, reflected on the significance of being included alongside established figures: “These are people I looked up to, but also storytellers whose work matters in many different ways. The Philippines is made up of more than 7,000 islands, and there is no single way to tell a Filipino story. This exhibition shows narratives we often do not see, or only encounter at the margins. It’s important to share them, because there is no one way to express what it means to be Filipino.”

Consul General Marie Yvette Banzon Abalos emphasized, “Our Guest of Honour participation carries with it the responsibility and the honor of presenting the breadth and depth of Philippine creativity, not only through our literary works but across the full spectrum of artistic expression. New Beginnings highlights photography as a vital part of the larger Filipino narrative, and stands alongside literature, film, music, and other creative forms. Together, these mediums help us tell you the story of who we are as a people through these layered, interconnected ways of seeing.”

New Beginnings is open to the public at Fotografie Forum Frankfurt until 11 January 2026. END

Read Your Roots: From Dialogue to Celebration of Filipino-German Identity in Frankfurt

September 20, 2025

Frankfurt, 20 September 2025 – Read Your Roots gathered the Filipino-German community at Brotfabrik for an afternoon of dialogue, storytelling, and performance, shining a spotlight on diaspora experiences as part of the Philippines’ Guest of Honour program at the Frankfurt Book Fair (FBM) 2025.

Hosted by Filipino-Austrian actress and media personality Cindy Kurleto, the program featured a panel discussion on identity and growing up with two cultures. Panelists included writer Mo Schneyder, entrepreneur Nelson Enriquez, and actress and influencer Helga Krapf, all of whom shared personal perspectives on navigating life between Germany and the Philippines. Their reflections underscored the experiences of the Filipino-German diaspora and its role in shaping contemporary narratives of identity and belonging.

The discussion was followed by a performance from Filipino-Austrian singer and entertainer Vincent Bueno, who wrapped up the event mixing comedy, music, and spontaneous karaoke — a finale that mirrored the vibrancy of the diaspora it celebrated.

Co-organized with second-generation Filipino-German groups Halo-Halo and the podcast Henerasyon 2.0, Read Your Roots was designed as a platform for children of the diaspora in Germany to step into the spotlight and reflect on the complexities of growing up between two cultures. The program underscored the distinctiveness of the Filipino diaspora in Germany while celebrating contemporary Filipino talent.

The Land in Sicht bookstore had a popup at Brotfabrik to complement the program with a selection of Filipino novels translated to German, while author Saskia Zimmermann was also on hand with her award-winning cookbook Sarap Sarap – Cooking Filipino Style, alongside bilingual children’s literature and travel-inspired titles. Filipino books translated into German were raffled off during the program, with copies donated by Dante Verlag, Unionsverlag, and Angkor Verlag. END

Mousonturm’s Sincerely Yours, the Philippines Festival Brings Contemporary Philippine Performance to Frankfurt in Lead-Up to Philippines’ Guest of Honour role at FBM 2025

September 19, 2025

Consul General Marie Yvette Banzon Abalos

Left to right: Mousonturm Artistic Director Anna Wagner, artists Franchesca Casuay, Eisa Jocson

Frankfurt am Main, 19 September 2025 — Sincerely Yours, the Philippines, a festival of contemporary Philippine performance, opened at Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm as part of the cultural program for the Philippines’ Guest of Honour role at the Frankfurt Book Fair (FBM) 2025. Mousonturm, one of Germany’s leading independent production houses, organized the 11-day festival as a platform to feature the boldness and diversity of Philippine contemporary art.

The opening featured remarks from Anna Wagner, co-artistic director of Mousonturm; Gesche Joost, President of the Goethe-Institut; festival curator Eisa Jocson; and Consul General Marie Yvette L. Banzon Abalos, who emphasized the significance of experimental and independent art in offering a contextual and multi-faceted understanding of the Philippines. The keynote was delivered by Jaya Jacobo, trans-feminist poet, scholar, and theorist, who reflected on the festival’s themes of identity, migration, and cultural imagination.

The Mousonturm space was transformed by installation artist Leeroy New with recycled plastic works accented by familiar Filipino details. The evening concluded with the premiere of the Filipino Superwoman Band, a performance exploring the history of Filipino show bands abroad and reimagining them through experimental art.

Running until 29 September 2025, the festival underscores the importance of performance as a medium for cultural exchange, critical reflection, and international dialogue. Curated by Eisa Jocson and organized by Mousonturm, the event is also supported by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) as part of the Philippines’ Guest of Honour program at FBM 2025. END

Sulog: Filipino Architecture at the Crosscurrents Opens at the German Architecture Museum in Frankfurt

September 19, 2025

Frankfurt, 19 September 2025 – Sulog: Filipino Architecture at the Crosscurrents opened to the public at the German Architecture Museum (DAM) on 19 September 2025. The exhibition, presented by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in cooperation with DAM, runs until 18 January 2026 as part of the Philippines’ Guest of Honour program at the Frankfurt Book Fair (FBM) 2025.

Remarks were delivered by Consul General Marie Yvette Banzon Abalos, DAM Director Peter Cachola Schmal, Simone Bühler, Head of the Guest of Honour Program of the Frankfurt Book Fair, and Senator Loren Legarda, the visionary behind the Philippines’ participation as Guest of Honour at this year’s fair (via video message).

Consul General Marie Yvette Banzon Abalos expressed pride in the Filipino architects and artists behind the project, as well as in the Filipino community in Germany, “for whom this exhibition carries a special resonance… living the very narrative that Sulog presents.” She further noted that presenting Philippine architecture on such a stage affirms not only the creativity of Filipino practitioners but also the relevance of Philippine culture in global conversations. She underscored that the exhibition contributes to deepening international understanding of the Philippines.

Curators Edson Cabalfin, Patrick Kasingsing, and Schmal emphasized that Sulog brings together leading Filipino architects and artists in an exhibition of significant international scale, situating Philippine architecture within broader global conversations.

The exhibition reimagines Philippine architecture as a dynamic flow of people, places, and processes that extend beyond borders. The title Sulog, from the Cebuano word for “streams of water,” symbolizes this ebb and flow, placing Philippine architecture within global networks of cultural exchange.

Organized around three interrelated themes — People as Networks, Places as Flows, and Processes as Flows — the exhibition highlights the roles of architects, communities, diaspora, context, culture, heritage, and socio-political influences in shaping Philippine architecture. A symposium held prior to the opening brought together architects and scholars for in-depth discussions that informed the exhibit.

Inspired by anthropologist Arjun Appadurai’s concept of “global cultural flow,” Sulog presents Philippine architecture not as confined to a single nation but as a confluence of transnational exchanges across time and space.

The opening drew a diverse audience from the German and international cultural community, marking a strong start to what promises to be one of the highlights of the Philippines’ cultural showcase in Frankfurt.

The exhibition catalogue Sulog is available as a digital download. END

Alaminos Bishop Napoleon Sipalay, Alaminos Youth Pilgrims Pay Courtesy Call on the Consulate General in Frankfurt

September 17, 2025

17 September 2025 – Bishop Napoleon Sipalay of the Diocese of Alamninos, Pangasinan led a group of Filipino Catholic youth pilgrims in paying a courtesy call on the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt on 17 September 2025.

The historic visit honors the longstanding partnership between the Diocese of Alaminos and the Diocese of Limburg, which started in 1987. Since that time, the partnership has blossomed significantly, with the Diocese of Alaminos being in charge of appointing the Chaplain for Filipino Catholics under the Diocese of Limburg.

The two Dioceses also maintain a people-to-people exchange program, which started in recent years. Under this program, volunteers from either Diocese are hosted by a family in the other diocese, during which they are able to exchange their diverse cultural, social, and religious perspectives, and the issues they face as young Catholics.

Consul General Marie Yvette L. Banzon Abalos, in her remarks to Bishop Sipalay, noted the important role of the Filipino Catholic chaplaincies in organizing Filipino communities, wherever they may be. “Where there is a Filipino Catholic chaplain, there is also a strong Filipino community,” she said. She also requested Bishop Sipalay’s prayers in ensuring the successful participation of the Philippines as Guest of Honor in this year’s Frankfurter Buchmesse in October.

In addition, the Filipino youths from the Diocese of Alaminos participated in a youth celebration of the Feast of the Holy Cross organized by the Diocese of Limburg, during which the pilgrims were able to visit a number of parishes and places across the host diocese. They were also warmly received by Limburg Bishop Georg Batzinq.

The pilgrims took pride in the unique Filipino expression of faith- exuberant, colorful, energetic, and deeply personal- noting its role in sustaining and comforting the volunteers even as they faced homesickness and other challenges. END

FRANKFURT PCG AND NACC MET TO DISCUSS UPDATES IN THE PHILIPPINES’ LEGAL ADOPTION FRAMEWORK

August 26, 2025

26 August 2025 – The Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt welcomed delegates from the National Authority for Child Care (NACC), Director Imelda Ronda and Council Member Meluya Reluya to discuss updates in the Philippine legal adoption framework and the NACC’s work.

The meeting also provided a platform for the two sides to discuss programs and services for Filipino children adopted in Germany, underscoring both sides’ commitment to ensuring the welfare of adopted children. END